Apparatus for moistening paper.



Patented may 29, |900. w. s. SHERMAN.

APPARATUS FUR MOISTENING PAPER.

(Application filed Aug. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

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No. 650,490. Patented May 29, |900. W. S. SHERMAN. v

APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING PAPER.

(Application led Aug. 7, 1899.)

(No Model.)

l UNrrnn STATES 'ATnNT-I union.

witms s. susanna-or MILWAUKEE, wisconsin.

APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING PAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,490, dated May 29, 190:0.

Application lled August '7, 1899. Serial No. 726,359. (No model.)

,To all whew/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS S- SHERMAN, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatuses for Moistening Lithographie Paper, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in apparatuses for moistenin g lithographie paper.

As is well known to those familiar with the art of lithography, it is necessary that the paper to be printed upon should be properly and consistently moistened or dampened before the printing operation is commenced, so as to cause the paper to take the ink evenly and smoothly.

My invention relates to a machine for eecting the moistening or dampening operation.

A primary object of the invention is to pro-- vide a machine of the character referred to which shall be simple in construction and inexpensive of production.

The invention further contemplates as objects certain mechanical features of construction whereby the etheiency of the operation of the machine in its entirety is promoted and the main object of simplicity and cheapness in construction attained, and in connection therewith various details of construction whereby accurate and nice adjustment of parts is rendered possible.

With the above in View the invention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete machine, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing portions broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View through the center of the machine. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, parts being omitted. Fig. 5 is a rear end elevation, parts being broken away. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the rolls, showing the bearing-boxes and adjacent parts, portions being in section and portions broken away; and Fig. 7 is a section on the line '7 7 of Fig. G.

The working parts of the machine may be supported and carried by any suitable form a rectangular open-top box.

of frame. In the accompanying' illustrations ofthe invention I have shown a desirable form of frame in which I employ base-timbers 8 8, from which extend upwardly the inclined legs or standards 9, sets of said legs or standards being connected at their upper ends by top plates 10. Arranged above these top'plates is a Water-reservoir 11 of any suitable form 6o of construction, but preferably consisting of To this reservoir is connected a valve-controlled inletpipe 12 and also an overiiow-pipe 13. The reservoir is advisably supported by means of set-screws 14 14, which pass through the top 4 plates 10 and bear at their upper ends against .the undersides of the reservoir.

Suitabl y supported above the reservoir is a table 15, upon which the sheets of paper to 7o be moistened are placed. This table may be provided with an adjustable gage arranged longitudinally along o'ne side of the table and consistingof a plate 16, having its inner edge provided with an upwardly-extending fiange. The adjust-ability of the plate is secured by providing the same with elongated slots 17, through which set-bolts 18 are passed.

At the rear end of the machine are arranged rolls 19 and 20. The shafts or axes 21 and 8o 22, respectively, of these rolls are mounted in suit-able bearing-boxes carried by extensions 23 23, projecting rearwardly from the side pieces of the frame. The bearing-boxes for the ends of the shaft or axis 21 are indicated 85 by the numerals 24 and the bearing-boxes for Jthe shaft or axis 22 by the numerals 25. The roll 19 is preferably of metal and the roll 20 of the same material; but it is advisable that this roll 2O be covered with a cushion 26, of 9o rubber or other yielding material. Against opposite ends of the rolls 19 and 2O are fitted rubber or yielding cushions 27 27, and eX- tending across at opposite ends of the rolls are plates 28. Rubber or yielding cushions 29 are clamped between each of said plates and adj Listing-nuts 30, said nuts turning on reduced threaded extensions of the respective bearing-boxes.

Vhen the parts of the machine are first put roo together, the roll 19 is properly set or adjusted by means of rods 31, which have threaded engagements at their rear ends with the bearing-boxes 24. The forward ends of these rods are also threaded and pass through webs 32. Jam-nuts 33 33 take onto these threaded portions of the rods and are turned up againstV rods which are bent at their centers into elongated U shape to form two legs or members Theselegs or members extend through 34 34. cored-out portions of the rearward extensions 23, and the central bends of the rods are disposed at the rear and pass around the bearing-boxes 25. The forward ends of the legs or members 34 of the rods are connected to a transverse connecting-plate 35. Connected to a central point of this plate 35 and extending forwardly therefrom is a rod 36, said rod passing through the forward end piece of the frame and having on its threaded extremity a hand-wheel 37. lt is obvious that by turning this hand-wheel the rod 36 is drawn longitudinally, and the cushioned periphery of the roll 20 is thereby brought into contact with the roll 19, and this adjusting mechanism may be readily operated at any time, so that the Contact will always be maintained. The fact that the adjusting mechanism acts on both bearingboxes alike insures an equal adjustment of the roll throughout.

On the shaft or axis 21 is mounted a pulley 38., and around this pulley may be passed a belt (not shown) leading from any suitable source of power and adapted for rot-ating the pulley, and hence the axis -or shaft 21. Also mounted on the shaft 21 is a cog-wheel 39, which meshes with a similar cog-wheel 40 on the shaft or axis 22. By this means the two shafts and their rolls when the driving mechanisrn is operated are caused to rotate toward each other. lf desired, another set of cog-wheels similar to 39 and 40 could be provided on the opposite ends of the shafts 2l and 22. With only one set of meshing cogwheels, as shown, a slight unequal strain might be produced which would in a certain measure prevent the equal adjustment, hereinbefore referred to, of the roll 20. By providing two sets of meshing cog-wheels, however, the strain is equalized, and hence an equal adjustment of the roll 20 is insured.

Located just to the rear of the rear end of the table 15 and above the rolls is a paperguiding mechanism consisting of two curved plates, the upper plate being designated by the numeral 41- and the under plate by the numeral 42. These plates are struck from different arcs of circles, so as to produce a gradual convergence toward the rear, and thereby gradually narrow the passage formed between the plates rearwardly and downwardly toward the rolls. The upper plate is continued downwardly a slight distance farther than the under plate, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. The paper to be moistened is fed from the table 15 into the passage between these two plates, and the upper plate serves the function of turning and guiding the paper between the rolls, and its downward prolongation or extension acts as a guard to prevent the paper from passing over the top of the rear roll 20. The under plate assists in the guiding operation and also prevents the paper after the end of said paper has been passed between the rolls and is being drawn therebetween from bending or buckling downwardly into contact with the top of the roll 19, whereby both sides of the paper after it leaves the guiding mechanism are exposed to the action of the water, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In my improved construction I provide for the space above the contacting portions of the rolls, serving as a trough for the water which is employed for moistening the paper. In other words, the crotch of the rolls forms the water-trough. This space lhaveindicated in the accompanying drawings by the numeral 43. Said space of course extends the length of the rolls and the ends of the space are closed by the plates 28. It will be noticed that these plates 28 are as wide as the diameter of the rolls, and hence said plates, inasmuch as they extend 'across from one roll to the other at opposite ends'of the rolls, necessarily close the ends of the space 43. l conduct the water from the water-reservoir 11 to the space 43 by means of a pipe 44.

It will be understood that the plates 41 and 42, hereinbefore referred to and which form the guiding mechanism, extend the length of the rolls, and their end edges are preferably fitted in curved grooves 45 45, provided in uprights 4G.

Fitted against the under sides ot' the rearward extensions 23 are plates 47, and to these plates are pivoted scraper-carrying plates 4S 4S. The Scrapers are indicated by the numerals 49 49 and are secured to upwardly-extending flanges from the plates 48. The pivoted plates ext-end across the rear of the machine, and the Scrapers extend the length or substantially the length of the rolls and contact at their upper edges against said rolls. These Scrapers serve to take the paper from the rolls in case said paper should have a tendency to adhere to said rolls.

The pivoted plates 48 and the Scrapers 49 form the upper portion of a delivery-conduit. The remaining portion of said conduit is formed by plates 50 50, which extend across and beneath the rolls and continue downwardly from the Scrapers, the lower portions of said plates being curved forwardly, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. The side edges of these plates are preferabl y supported in downwardlyextending side beams -51 51. The

Scrapers ot' course could be formed as a continuation of the plates 50, but I prefer tohave IOO ITO

said scrapers connected to the pivoted plates 48, as shown, as I am thereby enabled to provide for the adjustment of the scrapers by employing bolts 52 52, which pass through said plates and are encircled beneath the plates by coiled springs 53 53, confined between the under sides of the plates and nuts 54 54 on the lower ends of said bolts. These bolts 52 also extend through the plates 47 and enter the extensions 23, as shown most clearly at the left hand of Fig. 5, and thereby serve to secure said plates 47 to the extensions 23. It is obvious that whenever it is desired that the scrapers should bear with more orless fric-- tion against the rolls all that is necessary to be done is to turn the nuts 54, so as to either compress the springs 53 or permit said springs to expand, in accordance with whether it is desired that the frictional contact should be increased or diminished.

The upper ends of the beams 51 have extending therethrough just below the plates 47, which are integral with said beams, setscrews 55 55, said set-screws forming the pivots for the plates 48. The inner ends of said set-screws are provided with conical heads which fit in correspondingly-shaped recesses in the framework. The lower ends of the beams 51 are held-by means of similar setscrews 56 56, said screws passing through the rear legs or standards 9 and having their inner conical heads engaging correspondinglyshaped recesses in the beams 51.

The conduit is adapted to deposit the moistened paper on an adjustable receivingtable 57, the forward end of said table adapted to rest and turn on the support or flooring. on which the machine rests, and the rear end' of the table is adapted to be raised, so as to bring it in position to receive the paper from the conduit. Pivotally connected to opposite side edges of the receiving-table at points bctween the ends of said table are links 5S 5S. Mounted in suitable bearings beneath the u pper portion of the frame of the machine is a rock-shaft 59,and from this shaft project rearwardly arms 60 60, to which arms the upper ends of the links 58 are pivotally connected. Extending upwardly from the rock-shaft is a lever G1, which lever is adapted to engage with a toothed segment 62, said segment adapted to hold the lever in adjusted position. By releasing the .lever from engagement with the segment said lever can be turned in either direction in order to turn the receiving-table on its forward fulcrumed edge, and thereby raise or lower its rear edge. The purpose of this adjustment is to prevent the paper-as it is piled up on the receiving-table from interfering with and acting as a stop to prevent the subsequent delivering ot' the paper from the conduit onto thc receiving-table. It is evident that as the thickness of the pile of paper deposited on the receiving-table increases the rear end of said table can be lowered, so as to bring the top surface of the pile of paper thereon flush with the under( plate 50, so that the free delivery of the paper is not interfered with. It the receivingtable were left at the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2, or, in other words, in its lowered position, the paper deposited thereon from the conduit would "be liable to buckleV revolve, and hence the paper is drawn between the rolls. It will be understood that water is fed into the reservoir through the inlet-pipe 12, and the level of the water within said reservoir is regulated by the overflow 13. If it is desired to raise or lower the -level of the'water in the reservoir, all that is necessary to be done is simply to turn the adjusting-screws 14 in the proper direction to either raise or lower said reservoir, in accordance with whether it is desired to raise or lower the level of the water. The water `is free to flow from the reservoir through the pipe 44 into the space 43, formed by the crotch of the rolls, the water of course seeking a Ilevel in said space corresponding to the'level 'of the water in the reservoir. It is obvious that as the paper is drawn by the rolls said paper is necessarily carried through the wa' ter-space 43, and hence both sides of said palper are properly moistened, the rolls at the same time acting as a wringer to squeeze the paper, and hence bring the moistening to the proper consistency, the squeezing operation being facilitated by the provision of the rubber cushion 26 around the roll 20. From the rolls the paper passes into the conduit and is conducted thereby to the receiving-table 57.

It will be evident that the extent to which the paper can be moistened may be readily regulated by regulating the speed of rotation of the rolls. For instance, if the rolls are rotated very slowly, and hence the paper drawn slowly through theV water-space 43, the paper will necessarily be subjected to a greater def gree of moistening than if the paper were drawn faster through the water-space 43. The speed of rotation of the rolls may be regulated by regulating the speed of the dri ving mechanism, or a variable-speed counter-shaft (not shown) of any ordinaryand well-.known form of construction may be ein-- ployed for that purpose.

If desired, both the rolls 19 and 2O may be provided with'cushions similar to 26. Also,

if preferred, the rubber cushions or caps 27 may be omitted; but they are preferably ernployed foi-.packing the ends of the waterspace 43. If desired, also, the rubber cush- TOO IIO

ions 29 could be omitted; but they are employed for the reason that they will operate as self-adjusting packings.

IVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In an apparatus for moistening paper,

the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, a waterreservoir having an inlet-pipe and an overiiowpipe, a water-space through which the paper is passed on its passage to the rolls, and means for conducting the water from the reservoir to the water-space.

2. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, a waterreservoir, adjusting means for raising or lowering said water-reservoir, a Water-space through which the paper is passed on its passage to the rolls, and means for conducting the water from the reservoir to the waterspace.

3. In an apparatus for moistening paper,

the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, means for moistening` the paper on its passage to the rolls, scrapers bearing against the surfaces of the rolls, and means for adjusting the degree of bearing contact of the Scrapers against the rolls.

4. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, means for moistening the paper on its passage to the rrolls, and pivoted spring-tensioned plates formed or provided with Scrapers, said Scrapers bearing against the surfaces of the rolls.

5. In' an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, means for moistening the paper on its passage to the rolls, pivoted plates, Scrapers connected to said plates and bearing against the surfaces of the rolls, bolts passing through the plates, nuts located on the ends of the bolts, and springs encircling the bolts and bearing against the nuts.

6. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be ed, the axes of said rolls being in the same horizontal plane, or substantially the same horizontal plane, end Walls extending across the ends of the rolls at opposite ends thereof' the space in the upper crotch of the rolls and confined by the end walls forming a space adapted to containwater and through which space the paper is passed when drawn along by the rolls, and a conduit leading from beneath the rolls to the place of deposit.

7. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, means for moistening the paper on its passage to the rolls, scrapers bearing against the surfaces of the rolls, and a conduit continuing from' the scrapers and leading to a place of deposit, said Scrapers forming the upper end of the conduit.

8. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, means for moistening the paper on its passafre to the rolls, a conduit leading from the rolls, a receiving-table on which the paper is deposited by the conduit, a lever, and a connection between said lever and the table,whereby when said lever is turned the receiving end of the table is brought closer to or farther away from the discharge lend of the conduit.

9. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of rotatable rolls between which the paper is adapted to be fed, means for moistening the paper on its passage to the rolls, a conduit leading from the rolls, a re; ceiving-table on which the paper is deposited by the conduit, one edge of said table adapted to turn on a suitable fulcrum, links pivot-ally connected to and extending from the table, a

rockshaft, arms 'extending from said shaft and pivotally connected to the links, means for turning the rock-shaft, and means for holding said rock-shaft in adjusted position. l0. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of shafts or axes, rotatable rolls mounted thereon, and between which rolls t-he paper is adapted to be fed, yielding cushions at the opposite ends of the lrolls, and end walls extending across the ends of the rolls at opposite ends thereof and against the yielding cushions, the space in the upper crotch of the rolls and confined by the end walls forming a space adapted to contain water, and through which space the paper is passed when drawn along by the rolls.

11. In an apparatus for moistening paper, the combination, of shafts or axes, rotatable rolls mounted thereon and between which rolls the paper is adapted to be fed, bearingboXes for the shafts or axes, end walls eX- tending across the ends of the rolls at opposite ends thereof the space in the upper crotch of the rolls andconned by the end walls forming a space adapted to contain water, and through which space the paper is passed when drawn along by the rolls, yielding cushions arranged on the shafts or axes and against the end walls, and nuts turning against said cushions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS S. SHERMAN.

Vitnesses:

A. L. MonsELL, ANNA V. FAUsT.

IOO 

